Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook provided the following readout:
Today, Secretary Ash Carter and Deputy Secretary Bob Work welcomed Swedish Minister of Defense Peter Hultqvist to the Pentagon, where they discussed emerging security challenges and signed a statement of intent, which cements the close relationship between the United States and Sweden and sets out a path for greater defense cooperation in the future.
Carter emphasized the importance of this relationship, noting that today's statement of intent strengthens the bilateral relationship that adds to stability and unity in the Nordic region, and also sends a strong signal of deterrence to those who might seek to intimidate our partners and allies in Europe.
Following the meeting with Carter, Hultqvist met separately with Work, and discussed enhancing defense cooperation, to include increasing deterrence of provocative Russian behavior and accelerating the counter-ISIL campaign. They also discussed the Third Offset Strategy and highlighted NATO partnership initiatives.
Work emphasized today's meeting was an important opportunity for bilateral cooperation in areas of shared concern, as well as to exchange views on security challenges on Europe's northern, eastern and southern flanks.